On Wednesday, sports agent Rich Paul and his Klutch Athletics hosted one of many auxiliary events for the NFL Draft in Detroit with a private panel discussion at a pop-up on State Street in downtown Detroit. The event featured Paul himself, rapper Babyface Ray, and NFL players Chase Young and Will Anderson Jr. and was hosted by sports journalist and native Detroiter Jemele Hill. About 100 Cass Tech high school students were also in attendance.
Paul talked about his early days growing up in Cleveland, meeting LeBron James and becoming his agent, starting Klutch Sports, and how he interprets success.
“I define success by the ability to provide opportunity for others, which is why I keep on building, just vertically growing a brand,” Paul told the Cass Tech students. “In addition to that I’ve never sat on my success either.”
Young and Anderson (who were both top-three picks in the 2000 and 2023 NFL draft) talked about the hard work and diligence it takes to make it to that level while Babyface Ray offered additional words of wisdom.
“Your entourage is everything,” Babyface Ray told the students. “The people you keep around are key. They might see you doing something but envision themselves in what you’re doing and try to tear you down so you gotta keep good people around you.”
The event ended with the principal of Cass Tech giving the panel Cass Tech hats and bags, and a Q&A segment in which Hill took the time to answer a student’s question about black women succeeding in sports journalism.
“Being in a male-dominated space, especially like sports … In most industries I think women will probably be a little more minority but in this space it’s more pronounced,” she said, adding, “I’m going to show up for women and I’m going to show up for Black people, it doesn’t really matter. I think to be authentic and true to yourself … it’s all about your preparation, your growth, your dedication and your commitment.”
The NFL Draft in Detroit officially starts Thursday and runs through Saturday.
